Steam-engine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-.Sheet 1.

' J. T. HALSEY.

STEAM ENGINE.

No. 544,298. Patented Aug. 1s, 1895.

IN VEN TOR.'

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sl1eet 2.

J. T. HALSEY.

STEAM ENGINE.

No. 544,298. Patented Aug. 13,1895.

FIG. 5:

TNEE'S: 63%@ Unirse States PATENT @trice JAMES T. HALSEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N' o. 544,298, dated August 13, 1895.

Application filed July 28, 1894. Serial No. 518,851. (No modeL) T0 @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES T. HALSEY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Engines, of which the following is a true and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which for-m a part thereof.

My invention relates to steam-engines, and has for its object to provide a very compact and eflicient engine which, while it produces a very great speed, will be perfectly balanced and free from the wear which has heretofore been the great objection to this class of motors.

My invention will be best understood as explained in connection with the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a central vertical section of an engine constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 isa section on the linear of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate details of the valve-actuating mechanism. Fig. 5 is a section on the lineyyof Fig. 1. Fig. 6 isaview illustrating a modified form where the cylin ders are made of different sizes so as to make a compound engine. Fig. 7 is a side view of a portion of the casing shown in Fig. 6, showing the conduit for the steam extending from theA exhaust-port of one cylinder to the inletport of another; and Fig. 8 is a view illustrating two engines operating on the same shaft, so as to do away with all vibration and make a perfectly-balanced engine.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1, A is a suitable base having a bearing A' for the shaft E and covering the case B of the engine. Where small and light engines are employed forrunning portable drills or other similar services, the base A, of course, may

be dispensed with and the shaft of the en-A gine connected in any suitable Way with the drill. The case B has suitable bearing-faces B3 B4, as best shown in Figs 2 and 5. Secured against the faces B4 are cylinders D D' arranged opposite to each other.

F F are pistons adapted to reciprocate cylinders D D respectively.

G is a cylinder secured to the pistons F F'.

.I is a piston adapted to reciprocate in the cylinder G.

H H are heads which'close the ends of the cylinder G, and which are adapted to bear against the slide on the faces B3 of the case. The heads H have preferably formed in them recesses H', somewhat smaller Ithan the internal area of the cylinder G, and pass ages H2 leading into said cylinders, the effect of which is to substantially balance the head. The pressure of the motive fluid within the cylinder G against the heads H will, however, be greater than the counterbalancing pressure in the recesses H', and will, therefore, tend to hold the heads H against their bearingfaees B3. If desired, suitable springs S3, arranged in sockets on the cylinder G, may be arranged so as to bear against the heads H and keep them in engagement with their bearing-faces when there is pressure of steam or the motive fluid acting against the head.

Piston .I is provided with a bearing at .I2 in which turns a crank-pin E2, which is connected by means of the crank-plate E to the shaft E. This pin, as has been said, turns in the piston J and reciprocates in a slot G' in the cylinder G.

In order to balance the engine, I provide recesses J3 J5, preferably of the same size as the interior area of the cylinders D D', and provide conduits for the passage of motive fluid from the steam-spaces of these cylinders to the recesses. These conduits are very conveniently formed by means of perforationsf in the pistons F F', as shown. This much of my engine is substantially the same as that shown in my application, Serial No. 467,311, filed March 23, 1893. The arrangement of the valves for admitting motive fluid to and permitting'its escape from the cylinders and the valve-gear for operating these valves has been changed, so as to form a much easier running and more easily regulated engine, and especially to reduce the clearance space.

The valve-chests r r' r2 r3 are arranged beyond the ends of the cylinders and are preferably parallel to the direction of the shaft. The valves V V', &c., arrangediu these chests, are preferably piston-valves, and, as shown, consist of' pistons o o connected by a rod c2.

To operate the valves, I preferably employ the valve-gear best shown in Figs. 1 and 5, N N', &c., arearms, the ends of which are connected to the valves V V', duc. This construction may very conveniently be formed by making a slot 'U4 in the rear end o3 of the valves into which the ends of the arms extend. The arms are secured to a hub K, which has a rounded face 7a. A correspondingly-shaped bearing C' serves to support this hub K, which has therefore a free motion in the manner of a universal joint ou the bearing C. The pressure of the live steam or other motive fluid against the valves V V', duc., serves to hold the hub K 4to the bearing C', and it will also be noticed that as the valves are arranged opposite each other the pressure on one will balance that onV the opposite onethat is, the pressure on the valve V will balance that on the valve V'so that the valvegear has simply to overcome the friction of a valve in its seat and does not have to move any of the valves against steam-pressure.

Secured to the hub K is a sleeve K', to the end of which an eccentric is connected, which serves to operate the sleeve K', so as to give a Wabbling motion to the hub K and the arms N N' secured thereto, and these arms give the valves a reciprocating motion in their chests.

As shown, the crank-pin E2 is connected to a plate E3 very similar to the crank-plate E' and the plate E3 is carried by a shaft E5, which is in line with the shaft E, and of course, revolves with it, being connected to the crank-pin E2. On the end of the shaft E5 is secured a guide-hub E6, which carries on one side a guide-feather e and on the other a finger e5. Slidingr in and out with the feather and revolving with the shaft E5 is a weight lV, which is drawn inwardly toward the shaft by means of a suitable spring or springs secured to the finger e5, as shown. Connected to the weight XV is a ring W', which surrounds the sleeve K' and serves as an eccentric to operate it. This ring W' and Weight \V are normally in the position shown in Fig. 3, and when in this position will operate to give the valves their greatest throw. When the weight is thrown outwardly against the force of the spring on the too rapid revolution of the shaft it will draw the eccentric-ring more nearly concentric with the shaft and reduce the motion of the sleeve and consequently the throw of the valves.

The live steam or other motive fluid enters at P P is a conduit or passage for steam, preferably cast in the caseB and extending preferably all around the engine, and p are ports leading from this steam-passage into each valve-chest.

T is an exhaust-passage, also conveniently cast in the case and having ports leading to each valve-chest.

t t' t2 t3 are ports leading respectively from the chests r fr r2 `r3 to the cylinders D D' and the two ends of the cylinders G. This construction of passages is very convenient, and as the ports t t', dsc., -are very short there will be but small clearance space. Of course any other system of steam-conduits can be provided, if desired.

A very important feature in my construction is the casing which incloses the valves and gear. The case B is a sort of box-case inclosing the operative parts of thel engine proper, and has no opening on theside opposite the valve-gear through which steam could leak, except the bearing BG for the shaft E. As this is a bearing for a rotating shaft there is no difficulty in providing a steam-tight packing at this point. On the side of the engine opposite the bearing B6 is the valve-gear, and the valves also project out from their chests so as to be connected to the arms N N', dac. To prevent the escape of motive fluid on this side I provide a casing C, which is either made in one piece, or two pieces, as shown, and which is secured tothe case B by any suitable means, as bolts c. This casing carries a bearing for the hub K, and also at C4 a bearing for the rear end of the shaft I also provide at S a plate against which the crank-plate E3 bears, and secured to the plate S is a bearing S' for the shaft s s are bolts or pins which carry the plate S.

In operation steam is admitted to the pistons successively, and they operate to rotate the shaft E. All of the friction of the cylinder G and the piston J, where almost the entire wear comes, is taken up by the balancing-steam in the recesses J3. There will be some steam, or some of any other motive fluid which may be employed, which will leak past the packing on the pistons and escape into the space inclosed by the case B and casing C, by which the engine is inclosed. This steam cannot escape farther however, and the pressure in the casings at last becomes almost that of the high-pressure fluid, so that there will be, after this pressure is reached, little, if any, tendency of the motive fluid to leak, either around the pistons or around the piston-valves. This pressure in the chamber inclosed by the casings does not in any Way impede the free action of the parts since each piston, as F F', advances into the inclosed space exactly as much as the other one retires.

In Fig. 6 I have shown the cylinders D and D' of a size different from that of the cylinder G, in the present case smaller, so that the engine can bo operated as a compound englne. l

T4 T4 are conduitsleading from the exhaustports T of the cylinders D D to the inletports p of the cylinder.

T5 indicates the final-exhaust conduits.

I also contemplate in some cases providing the shaft E with two or more cranks, and operating each crank by an independent engine, of the character shown in Fig. l. Stich a construction is shown in Fig. 8, where the two cranks shown are preferably set at an angle of one hundred and eighty degrees, one from theother. Obviously one of these independent engines could be made larger than the other and the steam exhausted from the enlOO IIO

IZO

gine with smaller cylinders employed as the motive fluid for the smaller. This construction, Where two or more engines operate on the same shaft, makes a very Well balanced motor.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In an engine, the combination ot the oppositely arranged cylinders D D', the cylinder G, pistons F F' attached to the cylinder G and working in the cylinders D D', a piston J fitting inthe cylinder G and having recesses J3 of substantially the same area as the heads of the pistons F F' arranged as described, a bearing J2 in said piston, a crank pin turning in said bearing, passages for putting the recesses J3 in communication With the steam spaces of the cylinders D D', valve chests r fr' &c., arranged beyond the ends of the cylinders, ports t t' &c., leading therefrom to the cylinders, and lvalves operating in said chests and` adapted to govern the iiow of m0- tive fluid to and from said cylinders.

2. In an engine, the combination of the oppositely arranged cylinders D D', the cylinder G, pistons F F', attached to the cylinder G` and working in the cylinders D D' and having perforations f, a piston J fitting in the cylinder G and having recesses J3 of substantially the same area as the heads of the pistons F F' arranged, as described, to communicate With the perforations f, a crank pin turning in a suitable bearing in the piston J, valve chests r r' dac., arranged beyond the ends of the cylinders, piston valves adapted to reciprocate therein and passages it' &c., leading from the valve chests to the several cylinders.

3. In an engine, the combination with the oppositely arranged cylinders D D' of the cylinder G, pistons F F' connected to the cylinder G and operating in the cylinders D D', a piston J in the cylinderrG, and means to balance it substantially as described, piston valves V V' dre., arms N N dac., connected to the valves and means for actuating the arms, substantially as and for the purpose specilied.

4. In an engine, the combination of the oppositely arranged cylinders D D', the cylinder G, pistons F F' connected to the cylinder G and operating in the cylinders D D', a piston J in the valve G and means to balance it substantially as described, valve chests i; i2' dac., arranged at the ends of the cylinders, ports tt the. opening from said chests to the cylinders, valvesV V' &c. arranged in the chests, arms N N' connected to the valves, and means for actuating the arms, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In an engine, the combination of the oppositely arranged cylinders D D', the cylinder G, pistons F F' operating in the cylinders D D respectively, and connected to the cylinder G, a piston J in said cylinder, means to balance it as described, valves VV' for governing the loW of motive fluid to and from the cylinders, arms N N' connected to the valves, means for operating the arms, and a governor for altering the movement of the arms and'so regulating the throw of the valves for the purpose ot regulating the speed of the engine.

6. In an engine, the combination of the oppositely arranged cylinders D D', the cylinder G, pistons F F' operating in the cylinders D D' respectively, and connected to the cylinder G, a piston J in said cylinder, means to balance it as described, valves V V for governing the liow of motive fluid to and from the cylinders, arms N N' connected to the valves, a hub K to which the arms are secured, a sleeve K' secured to the hub and a suitable eccentric for giving the proper motion to the sleeve K' and through the hub K and arms N N' &c. to the valves.

7. The combination in an engine of oppositely arranged cylinders D D', pistons F I1" operating therein, a cylinder G to which the pistons F F' are connected, a piston J having recesses J5 J3 arranged in the cylinder G, a steam connection from the steam spaces of the cylinders D D' to the recesses J3 of the piston J, valves V V' &c., arranged substantially as described and a valve gear consisting of the arms N N' dsc., hub K, sleeve K',

and eccentric W' for actuating said valves. l

8. The combination in an engine of oppo- Sitely arranged cylinders D D', pistons F F' operating therein, a cylinder G to which the pistons F F' are connected, a piston J having recesses J 3 J 3 of substantially the same area as the heads of the pistons F F' arranged in the cylinder G, a steam connection from the steam spaces of the cylinders D D'to the recesses J of the piston J, valvesV V' die. arranged substantially as described, a suitable valve gear for actuating said valves and a casing nclosing the valve gear substantially for the purpose specified.

9. In an engine, the combination with the oppositely arranged cylinders D D', cylinder G, pistons F F' operating in the cylinders D D' respectively, and connected to the cylinder G, a piston J adapted to reciprocate in IOO IIOA

said cylinder, a crank pin E2 turning in abear ing in. said piston, valves V V' &c., for governing the iiow of motive iuid to and from the cylinders, arms N N' &c., secured to a hub K and connected to the valves V V' dac., a sleeve K' secured to the hub K, a ring W adapted to surround the sleeve K' and actuate it so as to operate the valves, and a Weight W connected to the ring and adapted to change its position, and consequently the throw of the valves.

l0. An engine consisting of two sets of cylinders D D', pistons adapted to reciprocate in each cylinder, Vcylinders G, each of Which is connected to the pistons operating in one set of cylinders D D', pistons JJ, one in each cylinder G, having recesses J 3 of substantially the same area as the heads of the pistons op- @rating in lche cylinders D D', steam conneclions from the steam spaces in the cylinders D D to the recesses J3 of each piston J and a shaftE having a number of cranks, the pins E2 0f which lurn in the bearings J2 of the pis,- tons J substantially as described.

1l. In an engine, the combination wit-h the oppcsitely arranged cylinders D D', a cylinder G, pistonsF F connected to the cylinder G and adapted to operate in the cylindersD D a piston J operating in the cylinder Gprovided with recesses J3 of substantially the same area as the heads 0f the pistons F F and having a bearing J2 in which a suitable crank pin turns, the said cylinders D D and pistons F F having a different area from that of the cylinder G and piston J, suitable conduits, whereby motive Huid exhausted from the smaller of the cylinders will be conducted to those of larger effective area and suitable valves for governing the oW of the motive fluid.

JAMES T. HALSEY. lVitnesses:

ROBERT W. LLOYD, D. STEWART. 

